The United Kingdom’s recent deployment of a carrier strike group to lead a multinational force through the Indo-Pacific and elsewhere reaffirms the nation’s commitment to global security and regional partnerships. Led by HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy’s flagship and newest aircraft carrier, the eight-month Operation Highmast brings together Allied and Partner forces in a show of unity and purpose.
The mission demonstrates the power of joint endeavors and the defense of stability through freedom of navigation at sea and in the air. As geopolitical competition intensifies in the Indo-Pacific, the U.K. and like-minded nations seek to uphold international rules through cooperation, deterrence and presence.
Operation Highmast also represents a commitment to deepen ties among Indo-Pacific nations. Participants include Australia, Canada, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and the United States, as well as Association of Southeast Asian Nations partners Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. The strike group also includes European allies Norway and Spain, and personnel from other NATO nations.
After departing the U.K.’s Portsmouth Naval Base in April 2025, the HMS Prince of Wales and its accompanying fleet transited the Mediterranean Sea en route to the Indian Ocean for drills with the Indian Navy, emphasizing the growing India-U.K. strategic partnership to support maritime security. The Passage Exercise featured an Indian Navy stealth frigate, submarine and P-8I maritime patrol aircraft operating alongside the strike group in the North Arabian Sea in early June, The Times of India newspaper reported.
In Japan and South Korea, exercises will focus on interoperability, air defense and maritime domain awareness. Joint exercises and strategic dialogues with longtime U.K. security partners Australia and New Zealand support frameworks such as the AUKUS trilateral security pact among Australia, the U.K. and the U.S., and reinforce the U.K.’s regional commitment.
In Southeast Asia, where freedom of navigation is increasingly contested, Operation Highmast involves nations on the front lines of maritime challenges. In Singapore, U.K. vessels will engage in logistics, training and defense diplomacy. With Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, the focus is on shared security aims, including upholding international law under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The Indo-Pacific has some of the world’s busiest sea lanes. Ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight is critical not only for regional states but also for the global economy. Operation Highmast is conducting freedom of navigation operations in international waters to challenge excessive maritime claims and assert the principle that no country can unilaterally restrict access to international waters.
The deployment also includes air operations, emphasizing the importance of free skies and regional airspace security. The strike group reflects a commitment to resisting coercion and preserving access for all nations.
Operation Highmast is a statement of solidarity by the U.K. and its Indo-Pacific Allies and Partners, demonstrating that peace and security come through mutual respect, lawful conduct and shared responsibility.
